Babies are born with a primary need to have someone to care for them. A newborn is completely dependent on at least one relationship with another person. Through the ideal situation of having someone lovingly and consistently respond to expressed needs in a nurturing way, brain pathways for optimal development are being created.
If an infant’s needs for touch, nutrition, warmth, security and sleep are responded to repeatedly, timely and predictably in a caring way, this will create the feelings of connection, safety and trust that the immature brain craves.
Continuous research reinforces this knowledge. It is also providing enhanced understanding.
Significant recent research now indicates the incredible influence nurturing relationships have specifically in the first two months.
One of the researchers involved in the more recent findings is Dr. Bruce Perry. In the book, What Happened To You?, that he co-authored with Oprah Winfrey, he reveals information about the findings. You can read about the findings here.
In a brief conversation with Oprah, Bruce explains what this impactful research indicates.
As a result, Brain Insights has taken on the role of contributing to making this understanding become common knowledge. But beyond that and more importantly, we are contributing to providing the practical and easy information and ideas to support to those caring for babies in the perinatal period.
This is being done in three ways:
1. Making The First 60 Days Booklet available to support parents and caregivers through replacing common myths with the assurance of Neuro-Nurturing knowledge. View sample pages of The First 60 Days Booklet here.
2. Sharing the bi-monthly The First 60 Days Magazine. Access the Free-Digital Issues here
3. Uniting all who care, in working toward making nurturing newborns and supporting parents and caregivers common practice through the continuously growing The First 60 Days Movement!
I feel so strongly that making a significant difference is do-able, because there are so many dedicated people that are passionate about ensuring that babies get the nurturing they require and deserve and their caregivers get the support they need.
Additionally, I believe that if we emphasize the time frame of 60 days, this makes it manageable for people to support and commit to. In thinking about directly supporting a family member, an employee, a neighbor a community member or indirect ways like creating a policy or initiating support services for only 60 days, it is not as abstract as thinking about doing all we can for an entire childhood.
Of course, supporting an entire childhood is certainly needed also. But, if we successfully increase awareness about what is needed for the start of a healthy life, I believe this will also influence understanding about the additional months and years of a child's life.
We experience some level of stress every day. When we are overly stressed however, we don’t function as well as we could in a triggering moment or in our daily lives in general. If things are going smoothly, the prefrontal cortex area of our brain helps to keep emotions and impulses under control.
As adults with a fully developed pre-frontal cortex, we have learned a few techniques to help this brain area stay in control and deal with the stress we experience. To regulate our stress levels we may stop and take a few deep breaths, refocus attention on something positive, we may initiate some physical movement with our body, recognize and acknowledge emotions, eat healthy foods, stay hydrated, get adequate amounts of sleep and take some time in nature.
Because children have immature brains, they are still in the process of learning how to develop positive stress responses and healthy habits. Because their brain is far from maturity, children become dysregulated very easily. It is through daily experiences of you using your calm brain (as often as you can) that they have the opportunity to learn and develop strong connections for this skill as the prefrontal cortex area of their young develops.
I am thrilled to share this guest post from Dr. Dave Walsh. It is one that gives parents and educators valuable information and guidance on this important topic. Rescuing children from stress or letting them handle it on their own, is a tough decision caring adults who are involved with children face every day. Dr. Walsh helps to relieve your stress about it with his valuable article. Enjoy!
Children and Stress: Too Hot, Too Cold or Just Right?
It's not easy to watch our kids experience stress and disappointment. Resisting the urge to swoop in and "fix" things for our kids can take every ounce of self-control that we have. This instinct is important since prolonged stress can be damaging and traumatic for kids. Chronic or intense stress can negatively impact memory, learning, and physical and mental health. Sometimes it is absolutely critical that we intervene.
But this doesn't mean that all stress is bad. Good stress can be energizing and motivating. Unfortunately, our ideas about stress and children have gotten so skewed that ANY stress has gotten a bad rap. This has led too many parents down the wrong path. As opposed to equipping children with the tools to navigate and negotiate stress, many parents have focused all of their energy shielding them from it.
All of us adults know that life can deliver a fair amount of stress and disappointment. How can we expect our kids to ultimately be able to handle this if they have never had any practice? Kids need some stress to develop their psychological muscles of resilience, stamina, determination, commitment, and perseverance. These are all qualities they need to succeed in their schools and relationships and, ultimately, in their communities and careers. If they don't build up these psychological muscles, they'll end up being emotionally flabby.
We want our kids to be able to handle adversity and to grow into adults who can bounce back from difficult times, challenges, and even tragedy. Resilience is the quality that enables them to do that. The catch is that kids don't develop this quality automatically; we have to teach them. For many of us it is easier to race to the rescue or lower the expectations than to raise our kids' discomfort level. We would be wiser to learn when we need to encourage, when to help, and when to stay out, step back and let our kids' flex their emotional muscles.
Here are some practical tips for how to nurture:
Do you have other tips for nurturing resilience in children? We'd love to hear them.
Dr. Walsh is the author of, Smart Parenting, Smarter Kids: The One Brain Book You Need to Help Your Kids Grow Brighter, Healthier, and Happier
His website can be found here: Mind Positive Parenting
It is a wonderful pleasure to have Dave on the Brain Insights Advisory Board.
For stress free ideas to do with your children during everyday life have Neuro-Nurturing Interaction Packets right on hand!
]]>
When you think of a baby or child, what is it that they want to do most? They want to play! Babies are born ready to learn, they want to explore, touch, taste, smell, poke, pound, and throw everything they can get their hands on. This is learning and this is what their developing brain needs.
Through “hands on” experiences young children are learning about their environment and how things work. Just realize… EVERYTHING is new to them. They need to use ALL of their senses and try things out in various ways. Through play children find out they can make things happen and realize that they can have an effect on their world!
You will also see children do the same actions repeatedly. Through repetition the brain verifies that what it is experiencing is true. Picture a child in a high chair with a ball. After learning (a lot) about the ball through putting it in their mouth, the child will likely throw it on the floor. He will lean over and watch the ball bounce and roll. He will motion to have an adult give him the ball again. He needs to throw the ball again so his brain can see that it will bounce and roll again. After he has had enough food to eat, he may throw any extra food on the floor to see if it bounces and rolls like the ball did. He is learning about the similarities and differences between all the interesting things he comes into contact with every day. His brain is making connections through all of these incredibly invaluable experiences.
Play also provides the opportunity for the development of a child’s muscles. Wiring in a child’s brain takes place through the repeated movements of physical activities. Even when children are watching television or playing on screens that are said to promote learning, children are not learning as much as they could if they were playing with actual items or interacting with other people. Significant scientific research demonstrates that interaction creates much more brain activity than observing.
He will not learn how a ball bounces and rolls if he only sees a picture of it on a flash card. He also will not know how a ball feels by watching a ball on a screen. When children are using screens, this is a missed opportunity for learning and strong connections being made in the brain through self-initiated play.
Play is natural. It is what children want to do (It is actually what adults love to do as well). It is how the brain learns best and it is where learning begins. An abundance of screen-free play is simply is essential to healthy overall development for well-being in life.
It is necessary also to not only have play take place at home, but children need “hands on” learning and physical activity opportunities at school also. A Voice of Play survey of 500 U.S. elementary school teachers found the following:
I invite you to share any play ideas or additional information on this topic. We can all benefit from your comments.
For a wealth of screen free play ideas to have right on hand go to www.braininsightsonline.com for the unique and easy to use Neuro-Nurturing Interaction Packets! Additional posts on play can be found on this site here.
It is difficult for many caring and well-intentioned parents and grandparents because so many Apps, electronic toys and DVD programs are marketed to say they are good for early development. The reality is they are just the opposite of what growing brains need!
The National Scientific Council on the Developing Child reports:
“Although a varied array of experiences clearly stimulates learning in the preschool years, promotional statements about the superior brain building impacts of expensive “educational” toys and videos for infants and toddlers have no scientific support.”
Sharing books and interacting directly with children however has been proven to benefit learning and early brain development in NUMEROUS ways.
In the article, ‘Nothing short of remarkable’: Study finds parents’ chats with their toddlers pay off 10 years later, the positive impact of direct conversations is conveyed.
The article shares: “a study published in Pediatrics that found that toddlers with parents who spend lots of time listening and chatting with them are more likely to have better language skills and higher IQs a decade later than youngsters left hanging in silence.”
Brain Insights on reading and talking vs. screen time:
Literacy skills development isn’t the only brain benefit that results from reading to a child.
The tag line I often use for Neuro-Nurturing is, "Inspiring REAL brain development for ALL young children." Several of the points above are the reason I stress the word "REAL". Through sharing information based on scientific research, we can ensure that children benefit from these types of essential and positive interactions.
For information and REAL brain development activities that are not limited to, but definitely include language and literacy development ideas to use even (and especially) during your everyday life go to www.braininsightsonline.com or download a FREE Neuro-Nurturing Guide filled with wonderful information and free samples of our wonderful line of Neuro-Nurturing Interaction Packets.
]]>Anna says………Good morning!
I just woke up and see I am in my crib. I feel good after having all those hours of sleep. I can’t fully express that feeling yet, so I just coo a little to myself. But wait… the feeling of contentment is beginning to fade.
I am beginning to feel lonely in here all by myself. I am also beginning to feel wet and hungry. These sensations make me cry. I need someone to come and take care of this discomfort I am feeling.
When I cry, I have found that my mommy or daddy comes to me to see what they can do to meet my needs. This feels so good and comforting. I am completely helpless. I have to have someone take care of me.
See… I told you, here comes my daddy already. He looks like he is glad to see me. He smiles at me and says, “Good morning Little Sweetheart!”, as he walks into the room. (He calls me a lot of different names. It is fun to see which name he will call me each time). I stop crying right away, smile back and wave my arms and kick my legs in excitement.
I am so glad he is here! He picks me up and holds me. It feels so warm and secure in his arms. I feel so special when he looks at me and talks to me. He asks me if I slept well and if I want my diaper changed. I just continue to smile back at him.
Daddy lays me on the changing table and takes off the wet diaper. He continues to talk and then stops to make silly faces at me. It makes me laugh. We are having so much fun together. Because my daddy and I have times like this so frequently, it makes me know I am someone special.
The hungry feelings are getting stronger now. I start to cry a little again. Daddy says, “I know you are hungry!” It is wonderful to have him so tuned into my needs. It sure makes me not cry and scream much.
Daddy carries me in to the other room. Oh…. I see Mommy! She is smiling and holding her arms out for me. I give her my biggest smile! I can hardly wait for her to hold me and give me a morning kiss. Because my brain is still very immature I do not have the ability to wait very long to get my needs met. But, due to Mommy and Daddy being so consistent in paying attention to what I need and then meeting my needs, I have already started to learned to calm myself a little bit and become a calmer baby. But, it will take a very long time before my brain develops enough to get myself regulated on my own.
Mommy takes me, sits down, and positions herself. Because of the repetition of this process, I already know this is in preparation to feed me. I get so excited with the anticipation. It feels so warm and soothing to be fed and held at the same time. Mommy usually loves looking into my eyes as I look at her and she caresses my hand while I eat. I feel so incredibly secure!
Not only does this feel wonderful, but I am excited to know that scientists have shown that what I am experiencing is having a positive impact on my developing brain. Research demonstrates that secure attachment that results from consistent nurturing responsiveness to my expressed needs can have an incredibly important impact on my ability:
I may also:
I am such a fortunate baby to have all that I need happening in my life. The thing that makes me very sad is to know this doesn’t happen for all babies.
There are many babies that do not have their cries answered or have their needs met consistently. These babies become very fearful, distressed, frustrated, and hopeless.
When this occurs repeatedly their emotional development remains “stuck” at this stage. When these babies grow up they will still have a focus on still needing someone to care about them and to feel safe and secure.
These experiences that directly impact the way a brain develops, can have an affect on relationships, health, behavior and learning in many ways. Those children will more likely have an extensive focus on survival, develop controlling behaviors, stress related illnesses, may not have a very positive self perception and more.
I really do not understand why all parents and caregivers are not given Neuro-Nurturing® information before babies are born and the support they need after a baby is born. Do you? It could make such a difference if this was provided to EVERY parent. Is there anything you can do to help?
There is not much I can do from my crib, except to share my insights with you. But, I would love it if every baby could have the wonderful experiences I am having.... because every baby deserves it and everyone in the world will ultimately benefit when all babies grow up with well developed brains.
I would really appreciate it if you would do what you can to take steps to ensure that EVERY baby develops with a secure attachment.
Now that I am fed and got the nurturing attention I needed...I really need some playtime!
The Nurturing a Newborn Set provides EASY ideas and simple brain development information for loving interaction leading to secure attachment and healthy overall development, and for even more loving, nurturing, consistent ways to interact with your baby. Also, included is our newest publication that new parents are thrilled with.... The First 60 Days booklet with Nurturing Knowledge, for unlearning 22 common myths and misconceptions about newborns and support for their parent/caregiver in this significantly influential time.
It is sometimes quite surprising and eye opening to many adults that the brain doesn’t complete development until about the age of 25. It can be somewhat overwhelming to realize. However, it is incredibly valuable to have the understanding that the greatest time of brain growth and brain development occurs in the early years between birth and the start of kindergarten.
The wonderful news is, research provides invaluable information to relieve the minds of caring adults. Neuroscience offers the reassuring knowledge of what developing brains need most for learning, health and well-being in life. And the best news is, to support healthy brain development during everyday life isn’t as complicated as it may seem. There are 4 basic areas that need to be provided... meeting physical needs, nurturing interactions, safety and security and an abundance of play.
It Is Just This Simple...
Brain development happens in sequential fashion, from the least complex functioning area to the most complex. There are three crucial points to make about this fact.
To develop the higher functioning areas of the brain, secure responsive and predictable nurturing relationships are crucial. All human beings are biologically dependent on relationships. When the brain of a baby or child feels a sense of trust and calm it is then able to relax and is ready to learn.
This security is essential to establish right from birth. It contributes to a brain ready for learning, self-regulation, resiliency, positive self-worth, health and getting along with others.
Children also must have appropriate and safe opportunities to experience things for themselves and feel the sense of accomplishment that goes along with completing tasks independently. To support this, adults need to allow (not force) enough time for children to try things over and over again at their own pace. Repeated experiences create strong brain connections. This is why children often want the same song or story repeated.
Time for independent trial and error is extremely valuable. Children however, also need someone available to help and encourage them when things get overwhelming or to help them through new situations or sensations. Children feel comfortable and develop a continued sense of excitement toward learning when caring adults provide available support and an appropriate balance of stimulation.
Due to rapid growth at this time, the brains of babies, toddlers and preschool children are especially vulnerable to experiences and their environment and will therefore continually adapt to what they are exposed to. Environments that are chaotic, unpredictable, disorderly or highly stressful have a direct negative influence on the development of the brain.
According to, Bruce D. Perry, M.D., Ph.D.:
“The experiences, environment and opportunities we provide our children help determine their strength and vulnerabilities. If the child’s world is chaotic, violent, and emotionally or cognitively impoverished, his potential will remain unexpressed. If the child’s world is safe, nurturing, and rich in social, emotional and cognitive opportunities, he or she will flourish. Central to a child’s healthy development is the opportunity to act on his natural curiosity – to explore, to plan and to thereby, to learn.”
Early learning environments that are appropriate for a child’s developmental level provide opportunities to learn through movement, play and hands-on exploration. Through this type of learning, children test new knowledge in a relaxed setting and then naturally relate it to existing knowledge and store the new information.
Children just naturally want to explore, spin, pretend, run, pour, skip, create, imagine, pound, throw, squish, hop, sing, and figure out the world. They are doing exactly what their growing brain needs. Understanding adults just need to provide plenty of wonderful opportunities for this to occur, then not get in the way and provide responsive and caring support when needed. It really isn't complicated is it?
With this research and knowledge in mind, Neuro-Nurturing Interaction Packets were created to make it even easier for busy parents and caregivers to have simple ways to implement immediately all the things children need most for their development! Keeping in mind that the early years are crucial for healthy brain development, this purposefully screen-free packet series is designed with one per age from Birth through age 5.
]]>Envision a world filled with happy children who are eager to learn, are healthy, feel confident in their abilities, have well developed language, strong math and reading skills, are creative and curious, get along with other children, are physically fit and active, and are self disciplined.
Picture all of these children developing into adults in the community, contributing their skills and abilities.
Due to a wealth of research we are extremely fortunate to have the knowledge of all that contributes to making this dream possible!
The extremely sad news is, all children don’t have the opportunities for experiences that create the likelihood of this vision. Too many of our young children are exposed to multiple risk factors that can affect the development of the brain in unhealthy ways.
Risk factors may be inadequate nutrition, neglect, chaotic environments, exposure to environmental toxins, lack of time in nature, trauma and abuse, great amounts of screen time, a focus on academics too early, limited predictability from caregivers, high levels of stress, and lack of quality of daily care.
All of these influences can contribute to a brain being “wired” in a way that leads to physical, emotional and learning problems. The brains of young children learn very early how to adapt or survive in the environment to which they are exposed.
It is time to ensure that EVERYONE understands the positive impact this knowledge can have. We also need to make sure everyone knows how detrimental it is for us to continue to ignore this information.
Children will benefit most if everyone is involved in first creating an awareness and then invest in implementing change. Making this happen must take place at an individual level, in families, in childcare facilities and schools, through business and community organizations and in local and state government.
If we want success for our children it is up to us, the adults in their lives, to become aware of where change is needed and then work together to continue doing all we can to see improvements take place. For this vision to happen for all children, it is up to us to develop strategies to eliminate the detrimental effects on young children, and provide all that young growing brains need …. and deserve!
We ALL benefit when ALL children have well developed brains!
To make it even easier for additional programs, agencies, companies, schools, hospitals, to distribute understanding and support, the Neuro-Nurturing Interaction Packets are available to you as promotional items.
AND...
Your organization, company, school, hospital or agency can have YOUR Logo printed on the packet to promote all of your positive efforts with quantity pricing also!
“Brain Insights activity packets are incredibly valuable for anyone that cares about the healthy development of young children. These compact packets make easy access for daily use to provide the loving interaction and fun young brains are craving!”
Pediatric Psychologist Dr. Lynne Kenney, author of The Family Coach Method
I love the ease of your ideas. Brain Development Activity Packets are unique, special, meaningful, and simple for busy and caring parents. Using proven research based on science, these are a glorious and effective way to help children have a strong, healthy and positive start.
Michele Borba, Ed.D., author The Big Book of Parenting Solutions
Often when we hear the term "healthy" we generally think in terms of our body. However, realizing the positive impact healthy habits have on our brains and the dramatic effect they have on children can make a remarkable difference.
When presenting on the effects nutrition has on a child's brain, learning and behavior, I commonly find that people are amazed with this knowledge. For this reason, I share this wonderful article written by Lauren Zimet which was originally published in Common Ground Magazine.
I have had the wonderful pleasure of co-presenting with Lauren. She is a dedicated, knowledgeable and passionate professional who is making a positive impact for numerous children.
Enjoy the valuable Neuro-Nurturing tips she provides for the benefit of healthier brains not only for children, but for yourself as well.
Nourishing Tips to Nurture New Neurons
By Lauren Zimet, M.S. CCC/SLP
The brain. We all have one. Yet sometimes it gets neglected. Our brain needs certain things to stay healthy, and when it doesn’t get what it needs, it doesn’t work its best. In fact, sometimes it gets the opposite of what it needs—stuff it doesn’t know what to do with, such as artificial dyes, preservatives, GMOs, the list goes on. When this happens, both our brain and body can have a sensitive reaction that can look different from one person to the next, but that can result in a brain not performing to its highest standard.
We are born with 100 billion brain cells, and the brain continues to develop after a baby is born. New connections between neurons—the cells in the brain—form quickly from birth to 3 years of age and older, and continue to form throughout our lives, based on our experiences.This means that we need to nourish our brain. We need to give it both the experiences and the nutrients it needs to develop.
It helps children to know that with each healthy food they eat, and with each new experience they have, they are making a new connection in their brain. This is powerful. Imagine a child's face filled with pride, after making a new neural connection by simply taking a nibble of kale.
The following seven tips offer simple ways you can guide children in making mindful, brain-healthy choices as they play, learn, work, and grow.
Lauren Zimet, M.S.,CCC/SLP serves as the Director of Skills Development at Perspectives , overseeing the Early Insights Program and The Powerful Project. Lauren is licensed as a speech, language and early communication specialist. She is certified in Neuro-Developmental Training (NDT), certified as a Natural Health Care Practitioner, is a certified parenting coach, and is a registered Better Brains for Babies (BBB) trainer. Lauren has over 2 decades of professional experience in the helping fields.
For additional benefit click here for a printable to share more tips and valuable insights toward supporting healthy brains! Particularly interesting to many, is the influence of simple carbohydrates on moods, behavior, and attention.
Of course the Neuro-Nurturing Interaction Packets provide you with the easiest way to support healthy brains during busy everyday life! ENJOY!
]]>
It was a 6 year old birthday sleep over party. There were 7 girls invited that lived near each other and played together most days. A girl new to the neighborhood was invited only due to the requirement of the birthday girl’s mother. I was also invited.I lived a block away but did play with these girls fairly often. Being an extremely shy girl I really liked being accepted by this group and was excited to be included in the party.
The party progressed and it was now time to begin preparing for sleep. The new girl found a spot and laid out her sleeping bag on the family room floor. As she did this, one girl ran into the other room exclaiming how she was not going to put her sleeping bag anywhere near this new girl. The other girls followed running into the other room expressing the same plan. Even though I was silent, I also followed the group into the other room. As I stated it was very important to me to feel a part of this group.
Once in the other room, I turned around and saw the girl sitting all alone on her sleeping bag looking very dejected. At that moment an intense feeling of empathy overcame me. With this strong feeling, I picked up my sleeping bag, went into the other room and laid it out right next to the girl who was being excluded. To my surprise, the other girls followed and the party resumed.
The ability I had to see things from her perspective and the resulting empathy I had for this girl in this situation strongly overcame my need to be accepted by the group.
Brain research demonstrates that even very young babies have a capacity for empathy. This is an extremely essential life skill and is at the heart of social skills and success in life. It is a skill like any other, it needs to be developed.
As Dr. Bruce Perry, an expert on the development of and need for empathy, states:
"One of the most important aspects of being a human being, is being able to be in a relationship. Being able to successfully form and maintain a relationship. And at the heart of that capability is the capacity to put yourself in somebody else's shoes, to see the world how they see it. That capacity is empathy."
As my career unfolded, I became extremely interested in early brain development research and now have the goal of making it commonly understood…. and that goal is only to have it understood by EVERY adult in this world! The impact of early relationships is an area of major focus in this work.
The brain is experience dependent, meaning development doesn’t just magically happen. A brain develops based on the combination of the genes a child is born with and the experiences that a child has after birth. The pre-school years are like the fourth trimester in rapidly connecting the 100 billion brain cells we are born with. Experiences create a direct and physical impact on the way a brain is wired. And the repetition of experiences strengthens these essential neural connections.
The brain is designed to adapt to whatever type of experiences are repeated most frequently…. whether positive or negative. Even though it takes many years for the brain to fully mature, these early months are the time for the most rapid amount of growth and development of the brain… with 85% of growth by age three.
We are biologically designed for relationships. We are born with a primary need to get someone to care for us. We are completely dependent on at least one relationship with another person. Through the ideal situation of having someone lovingly and consistently respond to meet our needs in a nurturing way brain pathways for empathy are being created.
If an infant is responded to repeatedly and predictably in a caring way, this is going to create the feelings of safety and pleasure that her brain craves. This will begin the wiring in her brain for relationships with others in her life. So when infants consistently experience the give and take of a responsive relationship the basis for developing the skill of empathy occurs. Interestingly research findings demonstrate that the brain areas for both empathy and violence are partially similar. These findings lead the researchers to state:
"We all know that encouraging empathy has an inhibiting effect on violence, but this may not only be a social question but also a biological one -- stimulation of these neuronal circuits in one direction reduces their activity in the other."
As a result a more empathetic brain will have more difficulty behaving in a violent way. While attending the sleep over party, my brain pathways likely fired in a way that found it too difficult to be mean to the new girl.
Various versions of interesting studies reveal that babies as young as 5 months old can demonstrate empathy skills. However, due to a variety of situations and circumstances some children do not experience the ideal serve and return relationships early in life. A child that does not experience the give and take of a nurturing relationship will have a more difficult challenge in developing the brain connections for seeing things from another person’s point of view.
However the wonderful news is, the brain is always learning, re-organizing and making new connections throughout life. This is called, plasticity. This provides us with the extraordinary opportunity to make changes later. Of course it is best to develop a brain as optimally as possible in the first place, but it is significant to realize changes can be made through learning and repetition at other times in life. One remarkable program that is making an incredible difference in this way is a program called, Roots of Empathy.
This project is based simply on a mother visiting a classroom with her baby on a monthly basis. The children are taught perspective taking through their interactions with the baby. The results have been dramatic. Humans are contagious beings. So, part of the effectiveness of this program is likely due to our contagious make up and these kids are “catching empathy experiences”. This contagious aspect seemed to be the case in the slumber party experience where the other girls joined me after I showed caring to the new girl. The repeated experiences of feeling empathy for a baby in the Roots of Empathy program are actually changing the brains of the children and this essential life skill is being learned.
Indicators are revealing that empathetic behaviors are in decline in many societies. There are numerous factors contributing to this occurring. So, since we are neuro-biologically meant to be connected to others, this needs to be realized and an emphasis of time spent on the development of relationships is critical.
In summary, valuing the time parents have to spend with their infants and young children and supporting parents in establishing a nurturing relationship is essential. Additionally, for daycares and schools to have an effective way to help children for success in life, is to have low teacher child ratios to increase the opportunity to foster relationships with every child. And then use the understanding that the brain is experience dependent. Children in schools can be engaged collectively in a caring climate and create activities that benefit other human beings.
Children have the capacity to learn to read, write and do math … children also have the capacity to empathize. If we truly want to help children thrive in life ….and want to have an incredibly positive impact on our world, it is VITAL that we place an emphasis on development of relationships with other human beings … This is where it all begins! After all it IS the primary need of the brain!
This was a presentation given at Parenting 2.0 Talks 2014 Dublin, Ireland. September 2014
For a FREE Printable on using empathy with children click here
To book a presentation toward making a difference for your school, organization, agency or company visit www.deborahmcnelis.com OR send an email to: deb@braininsightsonline.com
]]>
The brain is experience dependent, meaning development doesn’t just magically happen. A brain develops based on the combination of the genes a child is born with, influences during pregnancy and the experiences that a child has after birth. The early days, months and years are significant in rapidly connecting the estimated 86 billion brain cells a baby has at birth. Experiences create a direct and physical impact on the way a brain becomes wired at a rate of about 1 million per second. Repetition of experiences strengthens these essential neural connections forming strong brain pathways for learning, behaviors, skill development, health and self-perception.
The brain adapts to the type of experiences that are repeated most frequently…. whether positive or negative. Even though it takes many years for the brain to fully mature, the early weeks and months are the time for the most rapid amount of growth… with an amazing estimated amount of 85% of development by age three and a possible 90% by age five.
You may likely be aware that far too frequently children are experiencing just the opposite of what is needed for thriving in life. Due to a variety of experiences that hinder optimal development, brains become wired in ways that lead children to often function with high levels of stress and anxiety. In fact, did you know that, as of 2013, 274,804 babies (0-1), were prescribed psychiatric drugs? In her excellent TEDxBristol Talk, Jane Evans shares this point and beautifully explains the influence of anxiety.
While stress is natural and needed for learning, it is important for many reasons to reduce some aspects of stress for children. Very fearful, inconsistent or chaotic environments have a long lasting and physical effect on the brain. When children are continuously living in highly stressful situations, stress hormone levels stay high. This has a significant impact on a child's behavior, memory, relationships, learning abilities and health.
While some stress is inevitable and is also actually necessary, children additionally need stress-free time in their days. Play, laughter, physical activity, hugs, daydreaming, creativity and nature are all extremely valuable stress relievers. Even in infancy, the brain feels both over-stimulation and under-stimulation as stress. Through providing environments that are safe, nurturing, predictable and filled with fun interactive child directed activities, children experience what their developing brain needs.
For a very long time I have felt that the term 'early brain development' doesn't wholly encompass and convey all that children need and all that I hoped every adult would fully recognize by now. In my experience, I have found that too frequently the term 'brain development' is only viewed in relation to intelligence building or having children gain academic knowledge rather than the reality of supporting the overall blossoming of the whole child as a unique individual who has the freedom to thrive.
Additionally, it is still a minority of adults that know the basics of what is needed for a child's optimal development. So, due to the critical need our society (and of course, the children) have for greater understanding and broader awareness of how we can support overall development that also recognizes the heart of a child, I realized that a new term is desperately needed.
With this realization, the term Neuro-Nurturing™ (Click term to read more) has been created to generate new awareness, greater understanding and ultimately implementation into the lives of children! (Click here for a FREE Neuro-Nurturing Guide)
Provided here for you is a valuable printable to share ways to focus on the positives with children!
Share directly or post on community bulletin boards to create greater awareness and understanding for the benefit of children!
Research has demonstrated that when performing an act of giving, the brain releases dopamine which is responsible for the feelings of euphoria. Additionally, it has been shown that the hormone oxytocin was released in study participants. This release increases levels of trust and cooperation.
Isn't it wonderful to realize that the pleasure areas of the brain respond to not only what is good for ourselves but also to what is good for other people?
In her article, The Neuroscience of Giving, Eva Ritvo, M.D. states, "While the brain is remarkably complex, the neurochemical drivers of happiness are quite easy to identify. Dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin make up the Happiness Trifecta. Any activity that increases the production of these neurochemicals will cause a boost in mood. It’s really that simple."
One For You
Give the child the opportunity to have an item and give an item to someone else. For example: Say, “Here is an apple for you. Can you give the other apple to (name of another child)?”
Note: Toddlers do share, but the brain isn’t ready to completely understand sharing at very young ages. At this age giving something to someone when they have the same thing will be the best way to practice.
Doing Nice Things Makes “Cents”
Create a “giving jar” with a supply of pennies (or other coins) on the side. Every time someone in the family does something nice or thoughtful for someone else, a coin can be added to the jar. At the end of the month use the money to donate to an individual or cause that you want to support or help.
Write or Draw for Someone
Set time aside regularly (once a week or once a month) to have your child write a letter or draw a picture to send to someone. This could be sent to a relative or friend, someone that is sick or hospitalized, a deployed military person, a firefighter, a teacher, etc.
Celebration Give Away
At each holiday or birthday, give the child an extra gift to give away. Your child’s brain reward center will benefit most when involved in deciding who should receive the gift.
To practice this great feeling of giving, you can click and share this printable with others!
]]>Imaginative, self-directed play is simply essential for cognitive, physical, social and emotional development. Through play children become smarter and less stressed.
It is so incredibly important that young children have opportunities to use their imagination. This can be done through quiet reflective times or through a variety of types of play. During play children pretend, experiment and explore using their body and all of their senses, with a variety of objects, in many different ways.
Too often it is thought that the best way to help children develop is to plan structured activities. David Elkind, author of, The Hurried Child, has been quoted as saying, “Play has to be reframed and seen not as an opposite to work but rather as a complement.” He also says, “Curiosity, imagination and creativity are like muscles: if you don’t use them, you lose them.” The curiosity, imagination and creativity that Elkind emphasizes are higher level brain skills.
The development of imagination and creative thought is one of the many reasons I feel so strongly about the importance of play. Additionally, it is important to point out that learning may actually be slowed by overly academic preschool experiences that introduce formalized learning too early.
Exploration opportunities are critical to optimal development. It is simply essential that these opportunities are provided for all young children.
The prefrontal cortex is the area of the brain that needs to be developed well for curiosity, imagination and creativity, to thrive. It is also the brain area that is important for the ability to have empathy, control impulses, plan, anticipate consequences and regulate behaviors.
It Isn’t Complicated
The brain grows in sequential fashion, from the least complex functioning area to the most complex. There are three crucial points to make about this fact.
Play provides the optimal chance to develop these higher level brain skills. Activities like doing paper and pencil tasks, rote memorization or flash cards do not offer the same possibility to develop the imagination area of the brain.
Offering varied activities for play and exploring with real objects, people, and nature gives the brain the ability to pretend and to gain an understanding about how the world works. These types of experiences add to developing essential brain connections and contribute to the knowledge needed for the process of creativity and problem solving.
Additionally, creativity occurs when the brain is in a relaxed state. A lack of stress and over-stimulation, allows children to open their mind to combine what is already known with new information. Young brains are then able to generate new thoughts and ideas.
It is extremely difficult to continuously hear stories about how frequently academics are pushed on children at younger and younger ages. Recently I was told of a mother that was relieved to find a preschool that taught spelling for her 2 ½ year old daughter. Another example is, a 3 year old boy received an “incomplete” with a red sad face drawn by the teacher on his worksheet because he didn't write all of the letter E’s that he was instructed to write. These are minor in comparison to the experiences far too many children face daily. These types of occurrences contribute to the alarming number of children that are being prescribed psychiatric drugs for anxiety.
According to Jane Healy, a well-respected educational psychologist, “Early childhood programs that implement a directed academic curriculum often replace essential, hands-on learning activities with skill-based performance and rote-learning tasks. In doing so, they risk the developmental growth necessary for children’s future academic success.”
I find it very difficult to comprehend that science provides knowledge beyond anything we have previously known to demonstrate what developing children need most, and yet there continues to be a disconnect between this understanding and practice in far too many situations.
Through sharing this type of information, it is my hope that EVERYONE will finally understand how children’s brains develop best. Because, when children are engaged in play it is almost like you can see the millions of brain connections being made every second!
Children just naturally want to explore, spin, pretend, run, pour, skip, create, imagine, pound, throw, squish, hop, sing, and figure out the world. They are doing exactly what their growing brain needs. Understanding adults just need to provide plenty of wonderful opportunities for this to occur, then not get in the way and provide caring support when needed.
Most importantly, play allows children the freedom to be themselves! It really isn't complicated is it?
Play is simply one of the essential aspects of Neuro-Nurturing young children!
Neuro-Nurturing shares the invaluable understanding that a well-developed brain allows the unique essence of a child’s heart to shine.
Click Here to download a printable to share: Neuro-Nurturing with Play!
If you are interested in further information to share toward making a difference for children, I invite you to check out Neuro-Nurturing for the World!
]]>An estimated 85% of the brain physically develops in the first 5 years of life. This development is primarily dependent on healthy and positive experiences to create optimal brain function, overall success, well being and happiness in life.
Advances in science continually provide new research to demonstrate what growing brains need most. This information is very exciting and extremely valuable. Previous to technical advances, scientists were not able to study active brains. Early brain development was based on behavioral studies and theories. This scientific evidence has been available for over 25 years and should be making a remarkable difference for all children. However, this is not yet the case. It is still a minority of adults that are aware of the basics of early brain development and the extraordinary opportunity we have.
Additionally, economists are working to create this awareness. There are numerous reports that demonstrate how a focus on early brain development is exceedingly cost beneficial. Developing a healthy brain during the early years and preventing problems makes much more sense than paying for the consequences later.
Another aspect that makes all of this extremely perplexing is that we have easy access to more information than ever before. This is provided through journals, websites, blogs, webinars, e-books, etc. There is no end to a wealth of knowledge and support for everyone that cares about young children.
So …How can we get EVERYONE to understand the importance and the impact of the early years? We know what children need most for optimal development, but too frequently children are experiencing just the opposite. Too many children are not getting the healthy foods they need for their brain to function, are pushed toward academics too early, are living in harsh or chaotic environments and/or over scheduled lives, have little exposure to nature, lack physical activity opportunities, babies spend great amounts of time in carriers and experience less touch, and toddlers are spending time with screens instead of playing with real objects and learning in the way the brain develops best.
The wonderful news is that there are numerous and dedicated individuals, organizations and agencies working and sharing to create the critical understanding that children need safe, predictable, nurturing relationships, healthy environments and nutrition. They also promote, how children need opportunities to play, move, experience nature and learn through exploring. I am extremely anxious for this to be common knowledge... but even more importantly... common practice!!
We can no longer simply wait for the critical understanding of Neuro-Nurturing to be fully realized…. We need to MAKE it happen NOW!!
All of us who care about children are coming together to create a world of difference! We simply continue to share information in a variety of ways until Neuro-Nurturing becomes commonly understood and implemented for ALL children!
“If we truly want to create a world of difference for children, it will happen through a common vision, shared knowledge, and dedicated hearts coming together with an intense desire to make change actually happen!”
The children are counting on us! It will be wonderful to have you join us in being a part of making this incredibly needed difference for the children in your own life and for children everywhere!
THE CHILDREN THANK YOU!!!
Share some powerful Neuro-Nurturing Information with others by giving them our FREE Guide!
Neuro-Nurturing Interaction Packets Provide Ideas, Insights and Confidence for People Who Care Deeply About Children!
]]>
"... I speculate about how different things might be if everyone understood child development. When I hear stories of small children who are bewildered, frustrated and even defeated in their earliest school experiences, trying with brave determination to do what is asked of them and failing to understand why they can't, I wonder, what if everybody understood child development?"
This is a great book that is important for EVERY adult to read as the title reflects. Children of course need parents, grandparents, and professionals that interact with them in everyday life to understand development. In addition it is also critical that ANYONE that has an influence on the experiences children have in the critical early years, has a real understanding of how how children develop.
I had the wonderful opportunity to interview Rae about this exceptionally needed book. It is my hope that you enjoy learning more about the great value of all she has shared.
Deborah:
Your new book is one that I am extremely excited about sharing broadly. Can you share what initially inspired you to write this book?
Rae:
I just got so tired of hearing and reading about all the ridiculous policies and practices that made it clear child development isn’t at the heart of them – and that even seemed to criminalize childhood! For example, the story about the seven-year-old suspended from school for biting his Pop Tart into the shape of a gun. So I wrote a piece for Huffington Post with the title, “What If Everybody Understood Child Development?” and the response was overwhelming. As of today it’s had over 25,000 Facebook likes! That told me that the message resonated. So I started “percolating” on continuing the conversation with a book of similar essays and, two years later, here it is.
Deborah:
And there are many people that are very glad it is here! The book excellently covers a wonderful range of important topics that impact current lives. Even though all of it is critically important, are there areas in which you feel most strongly?
Rae:
There are so many things I find to “rant” about that it’s hard to choose. But probably my “favorite” of the three sections in the book is Part II: Understanding the Mind/Body Connection. Included there is the whole craziness around the belief in a mind/body dichotomy, which results in children being required to sit more and more and more, and the dearth of active learning and play in early childhood and elementary classrooms. And don’t get me started on the elimination of recess – or withholding recess as punishment! If the only part of child development that people understood was the deep connection between mind and body, kids would be better off by leaps and bounds! (Pun intended.)
Deborah:
The format of the book is unique and very considerate of the reader. Would you explain the concept behind the way you designed the book?
Rae:
I wanted something that would be easy to read as well as easy to write. People are so busy these days that it’s difficult to find time for much reading, so I wanted something that wouldn’t overwhelm them. The 29 essays run about 900 to 1300 words in length and can be quickly read whenever time allows, in whatever order preferred. And since I love writing in essay form, it was a win/win!
Deborah:
In the first chapter you wrote about how all children are not the same. It is very fun that you use the analogy of children being unique like snowflakes. I have used that same analogy for many years. Even though this seems incredibly obvious it certainly is not how we treat children in education is it?
Rae:
I don’t know why we can so readily accept the notion that no two snowflakes are alike but struggle with the concept that no two individuals – even of the same age and gender – are alike. I mean, even the parents of twins can tell you that there can be vast differences between the two children.
But, as Jane Healy said to me in a BAM Radio interview, “We have a tendency in this country to put everybody into a formula – to throw them all into the same box and have these expectations that they’re all going to do the same thing at the same time.”
For the most part, that’s always been the case with education: expecting all children in the same grade to master the same work at the same level and pace. But since the inception of No Child Left Behind – and now with Race to the Top and the implementation of the Common Core Standards – it’s only gotten worse. There’s no room anymore for individuality, self-expression, or developmental ranges and differences.
Deborah:
With your deep desire to have things improve for children, what do you hope will occur as a result of people reading your book and everybody understanding child development?
Rae:
Well, I tell the people in my keynotes and trainings that I’m forever in pursuit of utopia – and I suppose that’s what I’m looking for here! If everybody – every parent, educator, administrator, and policymaker – who read my book thought, “Hmmm, maybe she has something there,” and then determined to make all of their decisions regarding children based on a real understanding of children, I’d be a happy camper. And children would be living happier, healthier lives. That’s not too much to ask, is it?
Deborah:
It really is not too much to ask. I have the same dream as do MANY, MANY others. This is obvious by the response to the blog post you mentioned and now the enthusiastic response to your book. Those of us who already understand, need to continue to share information and use our voices, loudly and clearly for the benefit of our children and ultimately everyone in our society. As I frequently say, We ALL benefit when ALL children have well developed brains!
Sincere thanks to you for sharing your thoughts in this interview, but more importantly thank you for sharing your heart and mind in this invaluable book!
[End of Interview]
To Purchase the book, go to:
What If EVERYBODY Understood Child Development?
Rae Pica has been an education consultant specializing in the development and education of the whole child, children's physical activity, and active learning since 1980. A former adjunct instructor with the University of New Hampshire, she is the author of 18 books, including the text Experiences in Movement and Music and the award-winning Great Games for Young Children and Jump into Literacy. Rae has shared her expertise with such groups as the Sesame Street Research Department, the Head Start Bureau, Centers for Disease Control, the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, Nickelodeon's Blue's Clues, Gymboree, Nike, and state health departments throughout the country. She is a member of the executive committee of the Academy of Education Arts and Sciences and is co-founder of BAM Radio Network, where she hosts Teacher’s Aid, interviewing experts in education, child development, play research, the neurosciences, and more. http://www.raepica.com
The experiences children receive in the early years of life are crucial to overall brain development.
The Brain doesn’t just magically develop on it’s own. It needs experiences to make this happen. When a child has an experience, actual connections are formed between brain cells. The brain cells are dependent on experience to create these connections!
All of these connections physically grow, organize and develop the brain. Genetics certainly plays a large role in laying out a plan for development. However, it is primarily the early experiences that largely determine the basic strength and function of the brain's wiring system. This creates the base for learning, behavior, health and relationships in life.
It is that simple! So … of course we want most experiences to be positive for ALL children!
A question that has been asked of me several times is whether I think there is one aspect of early brain development that I feel is most critical for Brain Insights to place an emphasis. When considering this, the area that immediately comes to mind is the understanding of the significance of nurturing responsive relationships.
This is not the only area that is important and I will address this, but the first and primary need of a baby is to establish a trust in someone that aids in survival and a feeling of security. The infant is helpless and needs to establish a connection to someone that will consistently and lovingly respond to expressed needs. When needs are met repeatedly and predictably in a timely and nurturing way a feeling of security results. These repeated experiences as, in this example, actually creates physical connections between neurons and to a critical extent contribute to an essential foundation in the brain toward success in life.
These early relationships and important resulting connections have a very real impact on physical and mental health, behavior, learning and self-perception.
The most advanced “thinking area” of the brain for controlling impulses, abstract thinking, planning and anticipating consequences all begin development through predictable, nurturing, respectful and responsive relationships. The need of every baby to receive the nurturing they require is the reason, the Nurturing a Newborn Set was developed.
There is a wealth of valuable research on the crucial impact of responsive caregiving and establishing a secure attachment. Additional longitudinal research conducted at the Institute of Child Development University of Minnesota, reveals in-depth findings to support what previous studies have shared on this important topic.
“… {the] study suggests that parents may want to focus on one major influencer: sensitivity during a child's first few years. Researchers argue that a kid's social and academic abilities can be stifled all the way into adulthood if they don't receive sensitive caregiving.
According to the researchers, sensitive caregiving is "the extent to which a parent responds to a child's signals appropriately and promptly, is positively involved during interactions with the child and provides a secure base for the child's exploration of the environment." In other words, it's interacting with a child in a gentle, attentive way that shows the caregiver understands the child's needs.”
~Study Pinpoints One Big Factor In A Child's Early Life That Can Have A Lasting Impact: The Huffington Post by Rebecca Adams
So, clearly the influence of early relationships is extremely significant. This topic definitely needs broader awareness and greater understanding. So in answering the question posed…
Promoting the impact and understanding of the extremely significant need for nurturing responsiveness, especially in the first 2 months, is where I place the main focus of the work of Brain Insights. However, as a child develops, beyond the need for nurturing relationships, several other areas of importance are also emphasized.
Developing brains require….
With all of this in mind, in support of you as a parent or professional, I have created a list of resources on early brain development and parenting. There are numerous books that are favorites, but this is a sample of valuable ones that cover the range of topics that I have listed above as contributing to the brain nurturing experiences that all children deserve.
(Click on the titles below to link to these wonderful resources)
The Blossom Method
A Moving Child is a Learning Child: How the Body Teaches the Brain to Think
You Are My World
Inspired Children
Elevating Childcare: A guide to respectful parenting
Stress Free Kids
The Science of Parenting
Zero to Five
Cure Your Child with Food
Last Child in the Woods
The Hurried Child
How to Talk So Kids will Listen & Listen so Kids Will Talk
I know holiday shopping with me can be frustrating and difficult at times. I really don’t want to be a problem when you take me along. I realize you have a lot to do and you want me to be good so you can get it all done, but, my brain doesn’t always allow me to be perfect. I do like when you take me with you because my brain is curious and I get to see new things. I also love being with you!
So here are some ideas I have so we can have a good time together!
My brain doesn’t like to be bored and it also doesn’t like to be over stimulated. I need interesting things to keep it entertained, but if I get too much stimulation I will need you to help me to relax. My brain is not good at this on my own yet.
(3 -6 year olds)
(1 – 4 year olds)
(3 – 5 year olds)
My brain also likes physical activity and using all of the senses. Exploring is how my brain learns. So, I will like touching and trying out things I see. If you guide me to or provide things that are safe to touch this will be best. Much of this is all new to me, and do not realize what might happen if I touch, push or pull on something without your guidance. This actually helps my brain development!
(0-3 year olds)
(3 – 6 year olds)
I really like it when you give me positive attention . When we are having fun together I will feel good. My brain will then not react in negative ways to get you to pay attention to me.
(2 – 6 year olds)
(All ages)
When I am hungry or tired it is more likely you will have to deal with acting out behaviors. I really am not trying to be “bad’, my brain is just reacting to what it needs. My brain is not developed to the point of being able to control how I feel yet. I need you to understand and offer support.
If I begin feeling tired, hungry, frustrated, mad or sad just calmly name the emotion I am feeling and empathize with me. It feels so good to know you understand that it is very difficult for my still developing young brain to control all that I am feeling. When you recognize how I feel, it helps calm me and contributes toward learning how to eventually regulate emotions on my own.
Connection with you is much more valuable for me than trying to calm me by spending time on a screen. You can learn more specifics on this topic here.
With all of this in mind, let’s have a wonderful time together! My favorite thing to do is spend fun and loving times with you!
For more Neuro-Nurturing interaction ideas to have right on hand click here!
Want days that are happier and smoother? Keeping your child’s brain in mind can help to make a very positive difference. Easily meeting a few of the needs of the brain contributes greatly to more smiles in your day.
When provided with what the brain needs, children are likely to be more content and are ready to move, play, learn and simply have a better day…and of course you will also!
Creating better behavior and more smiles!
Food plays a vital role in how children function, how they feel, and how they behave. Nutrition is often only thought of in relation to the body. But, what is good for the body is also good for the brain.
Lack of providing what the brain needs causes stress. With 5 simple tips you can reduce family stress and create much happier days.
Tip #1
Providing a good breakfast can make a remarkable difference. Ensuring each breakfast includes adequate amounts of protein will contribute to a more content child with a better functioning brain.
Providing simple carbohydrate or sugary foods (or beverages) eaten on an empty stomach instead of foods with protein, complex carbohydrates and omega-3s will result in a crabby and possibly hyperactive child only 30 minutes later.
Brain Insight:
This occurs due to the brain not getting the nutrients it really needs. Young children’s brains are not developed enough to handle all they are feeling. Controlling the agitation, lack of focus and anxiety a child feels as a result of lack of nutrients is too difficult for a still maturing brain. This is why it is called, “out of control” behavior.
Tip #2
Establish daily routines. Consistent routines that happen in nearly the same way each day, provide a sense of predictability for young children. Brains feel comfortable and safe when knowing what to expect next.
Brain Insight:
When children know what happens first, next and last, this also reduces the need for you to give constant reminders. Children become more self-directed as a result of an established routine, whereas lack of structure and chaos contributes to stress for everyone.
Tip #3
See things from your child’s perspective. Sometimes just knowing that someone else recognizes their feelings, helps a child greatly. Use empathizing statements with an understanding tone of voice, such as, “I know, you would like to stay outside playing even when it is time for lunch.” Or “I understand how much you would rather be playing right now. While we are riding in the car let’s think of a fun game to play together when we get home.”
Brain Insight:
Demands or commands with a threatening voice can activate the lowest functioning (stress response) systems in the brain. Whereas understanding, laughing and playing together contributes to the higher thinking and care systems of the brain.
Tip #4
Provide choices for your child. When children are given options and are more directly involved in an activity, this can often result in more cooperation. For example: Ask, “Would you like to an apple or orange with your lunch?” or “What do you want to do first, brush your teeth or put on your pajamas?”
Brain Insight:
Stress directly results from the feeling of having a lack of control. Additionally even though some decisions may seem small and unimportant, it is heartwarming for your child to feel respected enough to be offered the opportunity to make decisions.
Tip #5
Ensure your child has enough sleep. Create bedtime routines and provide "brain calming" foods as a bedtime snack such as warm milk, a banana, toast with almond butter, or oatmeal.
Brain Insight:
Sleep enhances cognitive functioning and influences moods. Having enough sleep contributes to a more positive mood. When the brain lacks the sleep it needs, brain systems become out of balance. Brains become more easily agitated when sleep deprived and also usually crave less healthy and more sugary foods.
Finally, the best things to do to keep your own brain happy, is to apply these tips for yourself:
Eat well, get enough sleep, follow a routine and then also notice all the great things you did throughout the day. Parenting is not an easy job, and too often busy parents primarily focus on all that was intended to get done or was planned to be done differently. But, you do many things that contribute positively to the healthy brains of your family… so pay attention to everything you did to contribute to making you and your child smile today!
The Brain doesn’t just magically develop on it’s own. It requires experiences to make this happen. When a child has an experience, actual connections are formed between brain cells. The brain cells are dependent on experience to create these connections!
All of these connections physically grow, organize and develop the brain. Genetics certainly plays a large role in laying out a plan for development. However, it is primarily the early experiences that largely determine the basic strength and function of the brain's wiring system.
It is very easy to provide the positive experiences needed. Even during busy everyday life you can stimulate a young child’s brain growth in the most positive way.
Here is one idea from your babies perspective:
Fuzzy Kisses: Play a game with a stuffed animal. Use the animal to give me a kiss. Make a kissing sound. Next, you give me a kiss. Continue going back and forth.
Brain Insight: Showing me how much you love me through fun interactions makes connections in the emotional part of my brain. This is a very important area to develop in the first year. It affects relationships and learning in my life.
©Brain Insights, 2008
This activity idea is from the: Love Your Baby Brain Development Activity Packet.
Available in both English & Spanish!
For more examples from additional age packets check out our FREE Download!
Knowing this provides us with the tremendous opportunity to have a positive impact on the development of a healthy brain. Even though the brain makes changes throughout our lives, the time that a brain is most vulnerable to influences is in the earliest months and years of life!
The 100 billion neurons that humans are born with make connections through synapses, “wiring” the brain for functioning in life and learning. The experiences an individual has impacts the types and amount of synaptic connections that are made. Synaptic connections begin prior to birth and continue to be created at a rapid rate through age three. By this age a child has 1,000 trillion synapses and the basic structure and growth of the brain has occurred.
It is extremely valuable when every adult understands this remarkable and wonderful chance we have to provide optimal experiences for the healthiest brain development of every child!
For more insights on how Neuro-Nurturing can have an amazingly simple impact on the children in your life please check out our series of Neuro-Nurturing Interaction Packets.
]]>As I often say to audiences at the beginning of brain presentations , “I am thrilled that technology allows the study of the brain, like we've never seen before”. When scientific research began demonstrating that a child's early development is largely determined by the daily environment and experiences, rather than genetics alone, I became extremely excited. I was an early childhood educator at that time and knew the impact of the early years, but having scientific evidence to support the dramatic difference parents, quality early childhood educators and care providers make was very reinforcing.
The good news is that advances in brain research have demonstrated the enormous importance of the early years in determining a person's future success in learning and in life. It is now known that a child’s brain continues to develop long after birth. The term “brain development” means more than just intelligence building. It means the actual structural changes that take place in the brain.
The experiences a child has in the early years activate the actual physical connections between brain cells that make the brain grow—in other words, the brain's "wiring." We now understand that overall development is based on this brain wiring, most of which takes place before age 5.
This wiring develops best when a child:
· receives good daily nutrition
· enjoys a variety of positive experiences
· is talked to directly and frequently with a large vocabulary
· gets adequate amounts of sleep
· lives with routines and predictability
· experiences relationships with nurturing and responsive adults
· learns through lots of time to play, move and explore
Conversely, constant exposure to stress, limited stimulation, poor nutrition and lack of nurturing relationships lead to types of brain wiring that can contribute to emotional and learning problems. Brains learn very early how to cope with the environment to which we are exposed, sometimes with harmful results.
This information is critical because of the large numbers of children that are in out of home care and education programs for much of their day. Early childhood professionals who are knowledgeable about early brain development have a dramatic and VERY positive influence.
Dedicated and caring parents and professionals, create healthy learning environments and the loving interactions growing minds need. The sad thing is most people do not yet know the significance of the early years. People caring for and educating children can make significant difference in two ways.
1. Providing healthy, safe, nurturing and fun environments for children every day.
2. Creating awareness and understanding of the critical impact of the early years.
I invite you to learn and share with everyone you know. In an effort to help create this needed understanding! Here is a FREE Download that explains all this in a very simple way!
Thank you for your part in making a positive difference toward healthy brains every day!
]]>
This FANTASTIC video is one I continuously enjoy sharing!
The video creatively and effectively shows how the impact of experiences in the early years have an impact throughout life. It is a fun and extremely easy way to clearly communicate why it is critical to invest in and support healthy early brain development!
The video was developed as a collaborative effort between the Interactive Media Division of the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California and the Center on the Developing Child.
The title is, “Brain Hero.” ENJOY!!
This video explains the reason I provide the, Creating Great Connections presentation
The Creating Great Connections presentation spreads the incredibly valuable knowledge that.... Early Brain Development is NOT complicated and it makes an impact that affects every one of us! Each community can easily make a real and long lasting difference through working together!
It is very easy to make a difference when you first have knowledge and understanding. The Creating Great Connections program is designed to develop insights on early brain development and then provide ideas for practical implementation.
Make your community the community with the best developed brains!
It would be a pleasure to do a presentation in your community.
For further information go to www.deborahmcnelis.com and contact me at deb@braininsightsonline.com
]]>Secure attachment is the foundation for emotional development and the ability to form healthy relationships with others. This also then leads to a child’s ability to regulate emotions effectively, to be able to delay gratification, to problem solve, and to have empathy for others. This all then contributes to the development of a positive self perception. So, higher functioning areas of the brain begin developing in the most healthy ways through caring and responsive early relationships.
Mark Brady, Ph.D. contributes a wealth of information on this topic in his writing. I most enjoy his writing about what he states is the, “ Big Brain Question ”. Below are portions of his contributions on this topic.
"The healthy brain is an anticipation-prediction machine. When we operate in environments where there is little predictability and we have little idea what to anticipate from one moment to the next, chronic stress results. There’s ONE question that all brains want answered, and they want it answered, “Yes.” Parent’s brains, children’s brains, all brains. And they don’t want a lukewarm “Yes,” or a “Maybe Yes” or a “Getting-to-Yes Yes.” They want a substantial, resounding, unequivocal, “YES!” Yes. When the answer is something other than “Yes.” if the answer is “Maybe,” or “I’m not sure,” a confusion and uncertainty begins to take shape in our brains. The Question our brains ask is …… Are you there for me…? Do I matter enough that you’ll put me first when I need you to? Can I count on you to attend to me in the ways I need you to? Do I truly and deeply matter to you? These questions are being asked – non-verbally through behavior often – and when they get answered “Yes,” we can relax and begin to feel safe in our relationships. The self-preservation structures of the brain continually monitor our environment and the people in it for safety. Our survival depends upon it. We generally love the people we feel the safest being around, and the emotional responsiveness often identified as love arises out of this safe “felt sense.”
The Love Your Baby packet provides parents with insights and ideas to easily answer this important question and provide needed love even in your busy day! Get yours here!
It also provides professionals and other caring adults with a very unique promotional item or gift that gets you very positive attention!
Enjoy making a difference for children!
Mark Brady, Ph.D, is the author of the blog, The Committed Parent .
]]>
But, even more important and exhilarating for us, is to have the research demonstrate what best contributes to the healthiest development during this significant time. Additionally, studies reveal that early experiences have a long lasting impact throughout life.
This provides us with an extraordinary opportunity. It allows for us to positively contribute not just to the brain development but to the fullest potential of all children. It is my passion to share this information in very easy and practical ways.
We can make a real difference through creating awareness! Share with everyone you know who cares about children!
MAKING CONNECTIONS
A child is born with an estimated 86 billion neurons or brain cells. These neurons make connections with each other to make up the wiring of the brain. The brain physically grows as these connections are made. It is primarily ‘experience’ that influences the creation of these connections. Ninety percent of the brain develops by the age of five based on these experiences.
EARLY EXPERIENCES
The brain is “experience dependent”. It has to have experiences to develop. After eight months of experiences, an infant may already have 1,000 trillion connections created. Because the brain adapts to the environment it is exposed to, it will make connections based on either repeated negative experiences or repeated positive experiences.
CREATING ABILITIES
Brain Development happens through a "use it or lose it" process: connections that are frequently used are retained; other connections that are not repeatedly used will be pruned or eliminated so the active connections can become stronger. Abilities are developed through this process. Opportunities to move, play and explore with real objects is the way strong connections and abilities are developed best. DVD’s and flashcards are not ideal ways to develop healthy brains. Physical activity, time spent outdoors, good nutrition, plenty of sleep, safe environments, regular routines, and predictable loving relationships all contribute to optimal brain growth and early brain development.
LEARNING LANGUAGE
Early adult-child interactions have a dramatic impact on brain development. Researchers have shown that when parents spoke to their infants often, children learned almost 300 more words by age two than did children whose parents rarely spoke to them. Exposure to language through television does not provide these brain development benefits. Infants need to interact directly with others. Children need to hear people talk to them about what they are seeing and experiencing throughout the day for their brains to fully develop language skills.
LOVING INTERACTIONS
Warm, responsive care meets an infant's basic needs. However, consistent caregiving is not only comforting for an infant; it plays a critical role in nurturing healthy development. The way that parents and other caregivers respond to young children directly affects the base of later development. Loving, nurturing, consistent relationships have a positive impact on social-emotional development and learning throughout life.
Ideas for making this all wonderful brain development happen for your child in everyday life really is easy!
Neuro-Nurturing Interaction Packets provide simple ideas that can be implemented immediately into everyday busy life for you to easily provide all that is needed with early brain development in mind. These are specifically designed with your busy day and caring heart in mind! There is one for each age from Birth - 5
To start to feel more confidence in your parenting and have more fun right away... Click here!
(Available In English or Spanish)